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Logitech has four new PC speakers for 2009, ranging in price from $69.99 to $129.99. None of the new speakers are USB-powered and all feature what the company calls "360-degree sound," which "helps project audio evenly in all directions."

The company's gone away from the modern, squarish design of its USB-powered Z5 omnidirectional speakers and gone with a more traditional PC speaker design. Two of the new models ship with subwoofers and two don't. Logitech says all its new PC speaker systems will ship this month (we'll be getting review samples soon).

If you're looking for a sweet spot in the line, it's probably the subless Z320, which carries a list price of $69.99. Here's the quick rundown of all the models and check out the slideshow below.

• Z323 ($69.99): 5.3 inches x 3.4 inches x 8 inches with 2-inch dome drivers in the satellites and a 4-inch down-firing subwoofer.
• Z320 ($69.99): 3.5 inches x 3.5 inches x 7.8 inches with 2-inch concave dome drivers (no sub).
• Z523 ($99): 5.2 x 3.4 x 7.7 inches with 2-inch dome drivers in the satellites and 4-inch down-firing subwoofer with 6.5-inch pressure driver.
• Z520 ($129.99): 6.5 inches x 4.8 inches x 9.1 inches with 2-inch dome drivers and an "amplified two-way design for clear, natural acoustics."

Logitech 2009 PC speakers

The Expressionist Plus will be available this month for $99.95.

(Credit: Altec Lansing)

Altec Lansing is adding to its line of Expressionist PC speakers with the Expressionist Plus, which goes by the model number FX3021 and carries a list price of $99.95.

The compact, 24-watt, 2.1 system includes a sub with a 5.25-inch driver and two angle-adjustable satellite speakers with 2-inch drivers.

Don Milks, Altec Lansing's Senior Manager of Product Management for PC Audio, says, "The Expressionist Plus subwoofer packs tremendous punch for its tiny size," and he declares this "the best performing $99 PC speaker on the market."

OK, Don. We look forward to giving the Plus a whirl and reviewing the system soon. For more info in the meantime check out Altec Lansing's Web site.

Also, here's what's available now in the Expressionist line:

(Credit: iHome)

More companies are making tiny, portable speakers that plug into the headphone jack of your iPod, iPhone, music player, or laptop so you can enjoy your music while you're on the road. Like Altec Lansing's Orbit MP3 iM237, which is shaped like a hockey puck, the $50 iHome iHM77 also makes a design statement with its mushroom-like collapsible speakers that attach magnetically to each other and morph into a capsule that slips into a carrying pouch. That part we liked. But the sound didn't exactly wow us.

Read the full review of iHome's iHM77 speakers.

(Credit: Altec Lansing)

Altec Lansing's motto for its striking $129.99 Expressionist Bass FX3022 PC multimedia speakers is, "All the bass in half the space." The concept is a good one. You take the subwoofer that normally sits on the floor, shrink it down, and integrate one into the bottom of each speaker. That way the user gets an ample amount of bass without having to deal the extra gear and wiring.

But how did they ultimately perform in our tests? (Hint: good for gaming and movies, not as great for music).

Read the full review of the Expressionist Bass FX3022 PC speakers.

The ultimate PC speakers?

(Credit: Harman Kardon)

Just came across this hot little number on Amazon: a set of Harman Kardon PC speakers made out of glass. They don't appear to be available quite yet, but Amazon is taking pre-orders at $999.99.

Harman's made other clear speakers in the past, including the well-received SoundSticks II system, but these are the first to use glass--and the GLA-55s really make a statement. From some angles they have a gem-like quality, from others--namely in profile--they look almost alien in nature.

While these speakers are obviously about design, Harman's also touting the GLA-55s' "impeccable" sound quality. (At $1,000, they better sound good, right?) In fact, Harman claims it's "arguably the best 2.0 speaker system ever engineered" with numerous proprietary technologies that empower the speakers to create "clear and accurate high-impact sound with a large soundstage."

The side view has a more alien vibe.

(Credit: Harman Kardon)

Whether glass is the best material from which to fashion speakers is debatable, but Harman says its glass enclosure material is "the same as what is used in bulletproof glass." The material is put through an "annealing" process, which "includes baking each enclosure at 80 degree C for 4 hours."

The company adds: "This process provides increased dimensional stability by realigning the molecular structure of the enclosure material. To further enhance performance, the GLA-55's enclosure has a variable wall thickness which creates a stiff and resonance free enclosure. The net result of the annealing process and variable wall thickness enclosure is increased bass performance and a reduction in unwanted distortions and resonances."

Needless to say, I'm excited to get my hands on a pair. But I'm not so sure that in this economy people are as excited to drop a grand on these guys. Comments?

(Credit: CNET.com)

Testing out a set of PC speakers is practically begging for an interoffice dance party, so when Lacie's USB speakers arrived at the office, we couldn't wait to bust open the box and get it started. Unfortunately, the speakers don't sound nearly as good as they look, and the high price tag is the final nail in the coffin.

French designer Neil Poulton helped Lacie design this set of PC speakers that use USB connectivity alone for both power and audio. We're typically all for a product that lets us chuck another wire out of the window, so the fact that these speakers don't need to be plugged into an outlet is very appealing. In addition, the housing is just plain sexy. The curved angles, black mesh faceplates, and smooth white surface attracted plenty of attention at the office; that is, until we tried pumping some music through the set.

Needless to say, the quality of sound just isn't up to par. They're a two-piece system so we weren't expecting room-shaking bass or mellifluous harmony, but these things barely sound better than the speakers in the average laptop. We desperately tried to find a decent sounding track, but failed, miserably. And what good are speakers if you can't use them to get down in the privacy of your own home? Even at low volume, our music (tested across several genres) sounds distant and uneven. Finally, $60 price tag adds insult to injury. These speakers simply can't do the music justice; we'd rather hear The Boss through a set of cheap, quality headphones.

Check out our full-length review for more in-depth descriptions and details.

Logitech's Z5 USB PC speakers don't match the Z-10s.

(Credit: Logitech)

A couple of years ago, Logitech brought out the Z-10s, an interesting set of PC speakers that featured USB connectivity and a digital readout on the front of one of the speakers. They looked good, sounded decent, and were cutting edge in their nod to visually incorporating digital-music playback--though the touch-sensitive controls did cause issues for some users. Now the company is serving up the Z-5s, which don't feature the fancy digital readout, but offer some intriguing design elements and the same USB connectivity.

Read the full review of the Logitech Z-5 USB PC speakers.

Logitech's Z5 USB PC speakers.

(Credit: Logitech)

A couple of years ago Logitech brought out the Z10s, an interesting set of PC speakers that featured USB connectivity and a digital readout on the front of one of the speakers. They looked good, sounded decent, and were cutting edge in their nod to visually incorporating digital-music playback. Now the company is serving up the Z5s ($99.99), which don't feature the fancy digital readout but offer some intriguing design elements--including omnidirectional sound--and the same USB connectivity.

The black Z5s have a simple, clean, modern look, but aren't quite the knockouts that the Z10s are. From afar at least, the Z5s look more luxurious than they really are. Pick them up and you'll notice that they feel a little light. They weigh in at 1.5 lbs for the left speaker and 1.66 lbs. for the right, and measure 10-inches high by 3.3-inches wide by 3.3-inches deep.

They're compatible with both Mac and Windows PCs and radiate sound from their front, back, and sides. Marketed toward laptop owners, they ship with a little remote that has a quick-launch button that can be programmed to launch iTunes, Windows Media, or the audio application of your choosing.

We'll have a full review shortly, but feel free to get some comments in here while you wait.

(Credit: Altec Lansing)

In case you missed it, Altec Lansing has undergone a corporate makeover and is showing off a new logo along with several new products, including a pair of funky-looking PC speakers and a couple of sleek iPod speaker systems. We'll be getting review units in soon, and will actually have a full review of the new Orbit posting shortly.

Here's the rundown--and some links--for easy reading:

Two new inMotion iPod speakers from Altec Lansing

PC speaker-design alert: Altec Lansing goes mod with Expressionist Bass

Second Orbit: Altec Lansing's new iPod speaker